Various forms of mobile platforms, and particularly commercial aircraft, typically employ a reading light positioned in an overhead area over each seat on the mobile platform. Typically, these lights have been manually adjustable by the seat occupant. Such lights are typically of a relatively complex construction that employs an orbitally supported light element. The housing of the light element may be grasped and manually positioned by the seat occupant so that it illuminates a first area over the seat when the occupant is seated in an upright position in the seat, and a second area that is slightly rearward of the first area, when the occupant reclines the seat into a reclined position. In this manner, the aiming of the light beam is optimized for the occupant's use, regardless if the occupant is seated in an upright position or a reclined position.
While such light assemblies have served their intended purpose, it would be highly desirable to provide a light system that aims the light beam in different directions, depending on the position of the seat, automatically without any intervention or manual control by the seat occupant. This would enable optimum use of the light when the occupant is reading or working, without the inconvenience of the user having to manually position the light when he/she changes his/her seating position.